Mitchell's Russet
PearOrigin/History
Originated at Belleville, Illinois.
Tree
Not described in source.
Fruit
Size: Medium or small; Thomas describes it as "rather small."
Form: Downing describes the fruit as roundish, slightly pyriform. Hedrick, Elliott, and Thomas describe it as obovate inclining to conic.
Stem: Long (Downing, Elliott). Elliott specifies the stalk is inserted in a small cavity by a ring or lip.
Cavity: Small, with a ring or lip around the stalk insertion (Elliott).
Calyx: Open (Downing, Elliott).
Basin: Uneven (Elliott).
Skin: Rough russet, thickly covered with gray dots. Downing describes the color as yellow brown russet; Hedrick, Elliott, and Thomas describe it as dark russet.
Flesh/Flavor: Juicy, melting. Hedrick describes the flesh as "rich and highly perfumed, astringent." Elliott describes it as "rich, highly perfumed" without noting astringency. Thomas describes it as "rich, perfumed." Downing describes it only as "astringent," without mentioning richness or perfume. Both Downing and Hedrick assess the quality as "scarcely good."
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
Downing and Hedrick give the season as October. Elliott and Thomas give it as November.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Elliott explicitly attributes his description to Downing, likely an earlier edition; Hedrick cites Downing's 1857 and 1869 editions. The differences in form (roundish pyriform vs. obovate conic) and skin color (yellow brown vs. dark russet) between the 1900 Downing text and the other sources may reflect revisions across Downing editions.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Mitchell's Russet.
Origin, Belleville, Ill.
Fruit medium or small, roundish, slightly pyriform, rough, yellow brown russet, thickly covered with gray dots. Stalk long. Calyx open. Flesh juicy, melting, astringent. Scarcely good. October.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Mitchell Russet.
- Downing Fr. Trees Am. 525. 1857.
- Ibid. 817. 1869.
Originated at Belleville, Ill. Fruit medium or small, obovate inclining to conic; skin rough, dark russet, thickly covered with gray dots; flesh juicy, melting, rich and highly perfumed, astringent; scarcely good; Oct.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Mitchell's Russet.
Origin Bellville, Illinois. Fruit, medium, or small, obovate, inclining to conic; skin, rough, dark russet, thickly covered with gray dots; stalk, long, inserted in a small cavity by a ring or lip; calyx, open; basin, uneven; flesh, juicy, melting, rich, highly perfumed. November. (Downing.)
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Mitchell's Russet. Rather small, inclining to conic obovate, dark russet, rough; melting, rich, perfumed. November. Ill.